Research Story: A Modern Scientist-Engineer in the World of Fermentation

Research Story: A Modern Scientist-Engineer in the World of Fermentation

Left: Louis Pasteur discovered in the 1800s how to prevent fermented drinks like wine from going bad (image from biography.com). Right: Dr. Donna Bates is a modern-day researcher who studies how to ferment plant stems, leaves, and wood into biofuels. Both Pasteur and Bates ask similar "why" and "how" science and engineering questions to study fermentation.

"Which came first—the engineer or the scientist? Scientists find out why things happen. Engineers solve problems to make particular things happen." In this story, students learn about the interplay between science and engineering in fermentation research—from the discovery of pasteurization in the 1800s to current efforts to produce efficient biofuels with biotechnology. Research stories give students a window into the work of professional scientists and engineers. This allows students to see how the processes of school science are reflected in the real world while building literacy skills with science-specific content.